Saudi, Kuwaiti Strikes on Iran-Backed Militias
Analysis based on 16 articles · First reported May 13, 2026 · Last updated May 13, 2026
The escalation of military actions in the Gulf, including strikes by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Iran-backed militias in Iraq and direct strikes on Iran, significantly increases geopolitical risk. This has already led to the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil and liquefied natural gas flows and creating uncertainty in energy markets.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait launched retaliatory military strikes against Iran-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq during the ongoing Iran war. Saudi fighter jets bombed militia targets near its northern border with Iraq, while Kuwait launched rocket attacks into southern Iraq, destroying a Kata ib Hezbollah facility. These actions were in response to drone and missile attacks emanating from Iraq targeting Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also conducted direct strikes on Iran. The conflict, which began with joint United States-Israeli strikes on Iran, has escalated, leading to Iranian retaliatory strikes on Gulf states and Israel, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf states have expressed frustration with Iraq's inability to control these militias, which operate with significant autonomy and continue surveillance along the borders. This regional instability severely tests the 2023 China-brokered detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
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